FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Sept. 21, 2022 MEDIA CONTACT: SF Public Defender’s Office | PubDef-MediaRelations@sfgov.org | Valerie.Ibarra@sfgov.org | (628) 249-7946 **PRESS RELEASE** Jury Acquits SF Man Who Acted in Self-Defense in New Year’s Day Fight Thomas Ortiz was caged for nearly five years. Trial began 15 months past his Constitutional deadline due to the Court’s failure...Read More

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: September 9, 2022 MEDIA CONTACT: SF Public Defender’s Office | PubDef-MediaRelations@sfgov.org | (628)249-7946 **PRESS RELEASE** SF Public Defender’s Office Lauds City Attorney’s Dismissal of Tenderloin Injunctions  Court of Appeal Decision Could Set Precedent for the State SAN FRANCISCO – After a nearly two-year legal battle, the San Francisco City Attorney has dismissed...Read More

Public Defender Raju Opposes DA Jenkins’s Bail Policies SAN FRANCISCO — Today, San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins released her policy around pre-trial detention and money bail. In response, San Francisco Public Defender Mano Raju issues the following statement: “Even before District Attorney Jenkins issued this policy, we’ve seen her office expand the use of...Read More

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: August 3, 2022 MEDIA CONTACT: SF Public Defender’s Office | PubDef-MediaRelations@sfgov.org | (628)249-7946 **PRESS STATEMENT** Public Defender Mano Raju Warns DA Jenkins’s Drug Policies Will Lead to Worse Community Health Outcomes District Attorney Brooke Jenkins today announced policies with regard to drug cases. Mano Raju, the elected Public Defender of San Francisco,...Read More

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: August 3, 2022 MEDIA CONTACT: SF Public Defender’s Office | Valerie.Ibarra@sfgov.org | (628)249-7946 **PRESS RELEASE** SF Public Defender Announces Leadership Advancement of M.A.G.I.C. Directors M.A.G.I.C. Programs Continue to Serve Local Youth & Families with Year-Round Resources & Annual Backpack Giveaways in August  SAN FRANCISCO – San Francisco Public Defender Mano Raju is announcing...Read More

San Francisco Public Defender Mano Raju gave this exclusive interview to Haaziq Madyun of KRON4 News to discuss how a carceral response to drugs has not and will not solve the tragic opioid and overdose epidemic that has impacted every community in the country. In terms of San Francisco, he cautioned against interim District Attorney...Read More

On June 27, 2022, the SF Examiner published this Op Ed – What happens when San Francisco and other cities drastically underfund public defender offices – by San Francisco Public Defender Mano Raju. Click through to read the full Opinion. Excerpt: As trusted advocates for our clients, public defenders are the best positioned out of...Read More

SF Public Defender Mano Raju Reacts to U.S. Supreme Court Abortion Ruling The recent Supreme Court ruling that in effect overturned Roe v. Wade is outrageous and unjust. States that choose to deny reproductive rights will cause terrible, and in some cases deadly, health outcomes. As public defenders who see the injustices and harms caused...Read More

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 8, 2022 MEDIA CONTACT: SF Public Defender’s Office | Valerie.Ibarra@sfgov.org | (628) 249-7946 **PRESS STATEMENT** SF Public Defender Mano Raju’s Statement After Recall of District Attorney Chesa Boudin “After the election results recalling District Attorney Chesa Boudin, the San Francisco Public Defender’s Office reiterates our commitment to advocating for system-impacted community...Read More

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 27, 2022 MEDIA CONTACT: SF Public Defender’s Office | pubdef-mediarelations@sfgov.org | (628)249-7946 **PRESS RELEASE** San Francisco Public Defender’s Office Condemns SFPD Killing of Two Men, Including Former Client Rafael Mendoza SAN FRANCISCO – Last Thursday, members of the San Francisco Police Department shot and killed two men after being called to...Read More